underpaid, overworked, always fabulous

spring?

2010-02-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

i was putting the finishing touches on a summer workshop portfolio when my thought was interrupted by my new neighbours, who decided sunday night 7pm was a great time to move into the apartment. i went downstairs to confirm that moving was indeed going on, instead of the installation of a bowling alley, and these people had the nerve to look at me funny style. as if i'm the one making the noise. sigh. so here i am, taking a forced break from my work; hoping that in an hour they will be done.

february was such a stressful month so i'm actually anticipating the end of the month next week. with work, school, car malfunctions, and a family illness i am more than ready to say hello to march. i already have a trip planned (need to buy the plane ticket though) to raleigh, nc to visit a poet friend in the middle of the month!

i found an old planner from from 2004-2005 today when i was cleaning out my closet. omg i miss my "old" life! 2004-2005 was the year before my college graduation and the planner brought back memories from my time as a busy english major - writing papers for an edgar allan poe class, running to sga meetings, jobs, editing for the paper, going to concerts, gossip lunches in the student center, creating posters for rush, meetings with the advisor! i miss it sooooooo much. and i don't ever remember being busy or begrudging anything. sigh. can i go back to college?

feeling good

2010-01-31T12:19:00.002-05:00

i woke up this morning feeling incredibly blessed, peaceful; just a great feeling. i have a ton of stuff to do in this short day so hopefully this feeling will carry me throughout it all. take care :)

another work week

2010-01-29T21:15:00.002-05:00

is over and i am thanking God for the weekend. it's going to go by in such a blur since I have so much to do. I need to write so much this weekend - for school i have a poetry submission due, i need to prep some poems for a couple of summer worskhops, a recommendation for a student, piano lesson, time with mom, and working out.

i had to travel out of town for 2 days this week which isn't out of the ordinary, but i had to travel with a companion - a co-worker who is neither an admissions counselor or on my friend list. last year, she basically bad mouthed me to my boss and i had to drive to tallahassee AND orlando with her! the fact that she dissed me is only half the problem, the other half of the problem is that she does data entry....making her presence even more questionable. i actually think she was sent as a spy.

initially, the trip was extremely awkward, i mean no talking at all throughout the drive to tallahassee. then, i looked at myself in the hotel mirror (we had to share a room as well) and reminded myself that i am a consummate professional....so i took the high road and feigned a friendly demeanor. i asked about her emotionally co-dependent relationship, pretended it was normal; asked about her hobbies, found nothing of particular interest; asked about her siblings, don't care; laughed at her jokes, not funny; and acted as if her presence was valued, it wasn't. but i maintained a cool exterior and i'm so proud of myself. the next day when i returned to work, i ignored her.

so i'm glad the weekend is here...even if it will be filled with lots to do....at least i'm not stuck in that car.

plum haze

2010-01-24T13:14:00.003-05:00

one thing i love and hate about grad school and the whole residency thing is not being there full time and returning back to my "real" life. the week of the residency is such an amazing experience. i am surrounded by writers and other poets and i just get so much from that environment. then i return back home and i'm depressed....actually depressed because i'm away from it all. oh well, may will come quickly enough.

speaking of writing though, i am applying to some other summer workshops in hopes of working with other faculty who may be able to help me with my style and voice (not that i'm not getting that with my current program). excited! this one program i'm interested is held in san fransisco at the usf campus *fingers crossed* i will let you know how it all goes.

so, other then writing i'm completely obsessed with styling and decorating my new apartment. i'm taking it very sloooooow so i won't be stuck with items that i've decided i don't like. i recently purchased a new sofa that i think is the 5th greatest love of my life.

it's plum! can you believe it?! i got it at havertys for a very very good price
($259). I was just about to leave but i went to the clearance section and found this gem.....so exciting! i'll be sure to post every time i add a new piece to my space.

fallen off

2010-01-18T00:50:00.003-05:00

i have so fallen off the blog wagon. i've been meaning to post and even have the drafts to prove it, but i never actually submitted any of these posts. i even had a great new year's post...

so, a lot has been going on and in the same breath not much at all. i started a new blog with some friends that is kinda fun: sundayrainbowdressclub.blogspot.com.

i still really dislike my job and the majority of the people there.

i just entered my 2nd semester of school. i can already tell that this semester is going to be a big challenge. one of my small group members writes the most difficult poems ever...as in his vocabulary is rich and he loves to use science, math, logic, etc. in his work. this has made me realize that i really need to become involved with work that i don't like. i can't just continue to read the poetry that i enjoy. so this semester will be about reading!

continuing on the subject of school, i am really questioning my writing (this happens often, esp. after a residency). i'm taking a class, poetry as reportage and the books used are by writers whose aesthetic is much more duller than mine. so i decide, instead of just being bored by their writing, perhaps, i should use reportage in my own style. thinking that this new style would not go over well with my small group i use it during a workshop and everyone freaking loves it....making me question what i always thought my style to be. then my workshop instructor told me that one of my poems didn't resonate with him emotionally.....knife. through. the. heart.

but anyway, it's way past my bedtime, but i will be back soon.

happy thanksgiving

2009-11-25T10:33:00.001-05:00

i cannot believe it's thanksgiving time...again. what happened to 2009? it's going by in such a blur. this thanksgiving is going to be a bit weird because my mom up and decides to visit family in memphis and won't be returning until before Christmas! what the heck am i suppose to do without my mom for thanksgiving?! so i will be doing the whole holiday thing with my dad and sis (who will be do the cooking). honestly, it's going to be a little awk (thanks diana) for several reasons so if i can just get through the dinner everything will be okay.

happy thanksgiving!

september 2011

2009-11-19T22:20:00.003-05:00

oprah is announcing tomorrow that september 9, 2011 her long standing talk show will come to end!

that means i have two years to write a cohesive and life changing body of work that can be featured on her show.....

i want your bad romance

2009-11-17T18:35:00.004-05:00

sorry for the absence, it was, however, deliberate. as the old folks would say, i've been going through. i'm back because i've finally been able to calm my mind and my spirit. so, let's get to it!

work is a nightmare! an actual nightmare. i actually wrote a post describing the horror, but meh....why waste my energy?!

in other news, i turned in my final/ end of semester project for school and quite honestly, i think it's a masterpiece. even though i've already turned it in i can't stop reading my own work. i think it's that good. i think i'm feeling myself too much! i haven't even gotten any feedback on it yet, so these statements may change in the next week.

has anyone heard the new lady gaga "bad romance?" omg! i think she sold herself to the devil (illuminati-google it) and sprinkled a little crack on that song. i can't stop playing it! bananas! normally, i try not to associate myself with trendy poppy music, but she really is talented. sometimes i just watch youtube videos of her playing the piano because she's that good. whenever i'm feeling too lazy to practice i think of her playing "paparazzi" on the keyboard and i snap out of lazy with a quickness.

busy busy girl

2009-10-23T11:30:00.004-04:00

work has been pretty crazy and i'll explain all that later. this weekend the recruitment event i planned is going down, but even before all that my college homecoming comes first!

so before the stress of the weekend hits i'm going to have a little fun with some old friends, chill at the game, and hit up the stepshow.

have a safe weekend!

travel diary 3

2009-10-14T09:23:00.000-04:00

i'm having a thai food obsession.

when i'm out on the road i make sure to google thai restaurants and i frequent that restaurant until i go on to another city.

i especially love pad thai. actually, that's all i ever order. i feel as if i'm a food critic. so, since i am kind of a pad thai aficionado i wanted to share my best and worst thai restaurant picks.

best:

lemongrass in macon, georgia

the pad thai comes with sauteed tofu which is so tasty. the lunch prices are great and the decor of the restaurant reads young urban professional. the pad thai has a very clean and healthy look.

runner up:

chiriyas in savannah, georgia

what makes the entree so appealing is that every plate comes with a fresh rose on the side. the decor is 100% asian. i love it!

mediocre:

emerald thai in birmingham, al

the ambiance for this restaurant was great, but the price not so much. the pad thai was awesome, but too expensive and little. for $17 i would have liked a little more on my plate.

lek's railroad thai in montgomery, al

just alright

worst:

coconut asian bistro in tifton, georgia

the pad thai was awful. no flavor no jazz just blah. i kinda wanted my money back. but i did order a tiramisu and it was FABULOUS! i then went back again and ordered a coconut soup and spring rolls which was a bit better.

my next experience with pad thai will probably occur in a few days when i journey to SEATTLE, so i will be sure to let you all know how that goes.

travel diary 2

2009-10-11T09:05:00.001-04:00

valdosta waycross douglas tifton

over the years, while sitting behind a table at college fairs, i've made several observations about the high school students i've seen and frankly, if these are our future leaders i pray not to live to old age. below is the most random things i've seen and encountered.

1. why do so many high schools students have massive visible tattoos? do parents actually go with their children to a tattoo shop and sign a consent that allows their 16 year olds to receive tattoos? or do kids go out on their 18th birthday and get every tattoo they've ever wanted in one day?

2. has no one ever told a child that if you decide to take a tech prep program in high school that you've pretty much decided that you don't want to go to college?

3. why do the dumbest kids want to be doctors? why do the most unfashionable kids want to major in fashion?

4. student: do y'all have a medical school?
me: no, but we have biology and a pre medical program.
student: oh, I don't want to have to transfer schools. i just want to go to medical school
do you really think you're just going to graduate high school and be allowed to go straight into medical school?!

ultimately, this job has made me fear having children because i'm so afraid of their teenage years.

annual fund

2009-10-08T20:41:00.003-04:00

Every year, the Annual Fund continues
to be the way that the College
“closes the gap” between its
expenses and its tuition and
endowment incomes. No aspect of
the College is left untouched
by Annual Fund support.
These dollars are spent in
the same year they are received –
making each year’s need for renewed
support even more vital. Annual
Fund gifts keep our electricity,
water, maintenance, health care,
counseling, and instruction
available for all students.
Annual Fund contributions,
in part, pay our faculty
and staff salaries as well.

as with any college or non-profit organization, my job tries to receive cash donations through the annual fund. everyone is solicited for money, and every year i politely decline. not for any particular or disgruntled reason, i just prefer not to, for some reason i have to pay bills with the little amount of amount i receive in my paycheck.

so this year VP is on this kick that our office needs to have 100% participation. in my opinion it's because he wants the rest of the campus offices to see how much we participate and love each other (gag). numerous emails were sent out in an effort to receive any charitable donations. "Every little bit helps, even 5 dollars." again, i declined. the deadline past. but, in an effort to get that 100% participation it was extended. again, i declined. you would think that one would perhaps think to themself that maybe i didn't want to participate. yet, today, while driving the extremely dreadful streets of willacoochie, georgia i receive a call from my boss. let me paraphrase this conversation:

VP: "this is embarrassing, but i noticed that you didn't donate to the annual fund. i know times are hard. i will be willing to make a contribution on your behalf. in fact, ******** let me know that she couldn't afford it so i made a contribution on her behalf. there's a luncheon for the office that has 100% participation today."

me: "fine, i'll donate $10"

VP: "okay, well i'll go to the business office and pay it for you and you can buy me lunch later."

no words

travel diary

2009-09-30T22:08:00.003-04:00

I’m all alone in this world, she said,
Ain’t got nobody to share my bed,
Ain’t got nobody to hold my hand—
The truth of the matter’s
I ain’t got no man.

Big Boy opened his mouth and said,
Trouble with you is
You ain’t got no head!
If you had a head and used your mind
You could have me with you
All the time.

She answered, Babe, what must I do?

He said, Share your bed—
And your money, too.

One of the best and worst parts of travel for me is being alone. generally, I love being alone,
thrive on it,and
dwell in it
but this week was beyond being alone, i'm just lonely; crying in my car lonely; and left wondering why i don't have the kind of camaraderie the other counselors on the road have.

speaking of travel, i'm in savannah, trying not to spend a dime. i have seattle coming up in 18 days (dang, need to buy the ticket) and i would prefer to spend there.

anyway, the poem above is "50-50" by Langston Hughes (my love). this is the first poem i memorized.this is the first poem where i realized that poems didn't have to rhyme or imitate Robert Frost.

the tell all

2009-09-24T12:16:00.003-04:00

yesterday i sped home from Montgomery to catch the day's episode of oprah. mckenzie phillips was the guest du jour disclosing ALL of her business: her incestous relationship with her pappi! ick. nast! she actually told ALL of the americas and ALL countries in several languages of the world that she willingly sexed her daddy for 10 years. while watching, the only thing I could think was why? not why she slept with her dad, i wouldn't dare delve into that hot mess. but why tell everyone? why set yourself as an easier target for judgement? why let a family secret out of the bag? why not just talk it up to a psychiarist? why do we (celebs esp.) feel the need to disclose our deepest and darkest secrets?

honestly, i can't relate. i'm a big secret keeper. i'm already a super private person so its easy for me not to reveal aspects of my life, even the mundane aspects.

so what makes celebs, or even us average people, confess to secrets that could have remained a secret otherwise?

i suppose the sense of relief is the reason. forgiveness....self forgiveness, can also be a factor. but what do these confessions of past transgessions do for the person, or people, you actually tell it to besides create truly awkward future encounters?

birmingham montgomery

2009-09-22T20:04:00.004-04:00

i'm in my 3rd(?) week of travel and i'm exhausted. it's only the third week! this week is my alabama week. i started in birmingham on sunday (yes, sunday) then drove down to montgomery.i think i'm going to add birmingham to my list of cities i love(i mean it has whole foods, sephora, AND great shopping). why did i think it would extra aggressive with the backwards country behavior. i really need to stop pre-judging situations. birmingham is actually a better city than the one i am currently residing in...hmmmm.

mmmmm

2009-09-14T21:50:00.003-04:00

doesn't this look so good?!

one thing i love about travel is the food. specifically, finding unique eateries (not franchises...no shade to chilli's).

i found this awesome crepe restaurant called crepes and more in parrish, florida. the picture above is an apple crepe with baked cinnamon apples, nutella, and raspberry sauce and whipped cream on top.

i'm making myself sooooo hungry!

2009-09-08T20:53:00.004-04:00

i'm back from vegas and in tampa (for work). here are some vegas pix...hope you enjoy!

dreams

2009-08-27T15:11:00.003-04:00

i'm not much of a dreamer.

but lately i've been having really vividly awesome dreams.

last night i dreamt i was casting the devil out of someone....i guess like an exorcism.

the other night i had a dream that i received a letter from this place i interviewed at a long time ago. in the dream, the letter stated that the company saw a lot of potential in me and they wanted to help me get off to a good start in my career. they also wanted me to work there and i had to start at the new position very very soon. such a mean dream.

what does all this mean?

in other news, i've ordered bangs...clip in bangs to be exact. i want a new look for fall and don't want to cut bangs (i get tired of them about 2.2 seconds after i get it cut), but shhhhh it's a secret!

words i hate

2009-08-24T12:28:00.004-04:00

so i received critiques on my first collection of poetry and honestly, it wasn't that bad. i was expecting to be torn apart, but i wasn't. i'm so excited and already can't wait to continue work!

being a writer and english major i've come to hate the word juxtaposition. it makes me cringe. whenever i'm in a group of writers/ english majors/ faux philopshers that word comes up about 601 times. i only mention this because as i was anticipating some of the comments about my work i was guessing what each person in my group would say, you know, their trademark comment. without fail, the one guy i pegged for saying "juxtaposition" wrote that word in his critique.ugh!

other words i hate:

literally (it's so misused among my generation)
moist
recession
phrase-in this economy
deposit (a job thing)

what are some words that you hate?

what i'm loving right now

2009-08-22T15:59:00.003-04:00

i'm really loving chrisette michelle right now!

(i wished i looked like this everyday!)

and maxwell!

here's my fave song from his black summer night....enjoy

Bad Habits - Maxwell

he's going to be in atlanta on october 5th at phillips....would love to go :)

another travel season

2009-08-20T15:32:00.006-04:00

september is quickly approaching and you all know what that means......
admissions. travel. season.

admittedly, i'm not excited about it nor did i see myself gearing up for another(4th) year of travel.

sigh.

but it is what it is.

this summer has actually been a bit busy for me and i've barely had time to just sit and think. now that i think about it....i haven't even taken a vacation....

yet!

vegas!!!

i mentioned in a post a loooooong time ago that me and my sis were planning a trip there (at her insistence) to celebrate her college graduation. vegas is totally happening in 2 weeks (bought the plane tickets earlier this week). a bit late, but nonetheless i will be shaking my ass in vegas for labor day weekend so i guess i will have a little bit of fun before the reality of my job surfaces.

i'm back....if only for a moment

2009-08-20T13:54:00.002-04:00

whew! i turned in my first poetry submission. i'm glad that's over...well, if only for a little while. this week we receive critiques from our workshop members....i'm so nervous! then we will receive criqitues from our instructor....ugh!!! and then we do it all again next month.

2009-08-06T11:37:00.001-04:00

i will be a bit absent until august 15th. the date of my first poetry submission is looming so i want to focus what's left of my energy and creativity to this project.

pillow talk

2009-07-31T09:25:00.001-04:00

does anyone have the kid cudi downloaded?

i am such a fan all the sudden.

i loved his song "day and nite" but i've actually taken the time to listen to the whole cd and i'm highly impressed! reviews on the internet are kinda mixed, but my opinion stands.

here's one of my favorites "pillow talk"

Pillow Talk - KiD CuDi

new project

2009-07-30T10:24:00.002-04:00

so i've been trying to keep my attitude in check for about a week now and guess what? i like it!

i feel good and my insides feel clean.

i've been totally inspired by my friend KJ who is restoring some old chairs. my parents gave me this old green dirty ottoman/ bench type thing that has been taking up space in my room. when they gave it to me i knew exactly what i wanted to do with it - upholster the fabric into something cute, but i never gave it the time. so since i am on this home decor and decorating kick i feel as if i now have the motivation to do it!

i have no idea what color i want to do, but i will keep you updated once i get started.

go hard or go home

2009-07-30T09:19:00.002-04:00

i'm an all or nothing type of girl. i'm always at one extreme or another. i never quite find a balance. wither i'm unnecessarily mean or overly friendly; verbose or quiet, wild or prudish (i'm a prude right now); on or off; hot or cold...you get what i'm saying? this approach to life is great for dieting (my willpower is ah-mazing), but horrible for my sanity! regardless of my goal or expectations i find myself feeling like a failure because if i don't go hard it's hard for me to feel accomplished. while i enjoy writing, i've always struggled with it because i want my poems to be nearly perfect on the first draft. if my workout is anything less than an hour of nonstop movement it doesn't count for me. and don't even get me started on my piano playing!

choose your attitude

2009-07-27T10:05:00.003-04:00

i woke up this morning and decided to be positive. i'm kinda borrowing this new state of mind from KJ.

lately, i have been in a funk....let's say a 6 month funk and i'm sick of it. i'm moody, grumpy, and disenchanted and everyone knows it. i am not where i believe i should be for my age and qualifications, but being disgruntled about it won't make the situation change....so i'm going to try a new approach.

anyway, this past weekend was pretty decent. i had a friend (my old college roommate) visit me and her presence made me realize something about myself....i get annoyed easily. i'm not sure if it's part of this funk i'm in, but i really couldn't wait for her to leave. i feel bad because i don't have a lot of friends and she took the time to visit me, but needless to say....i enjoy my alone time.

stressed? who me? no. well, maybe just a bit

2009-07-23T16:44:00.004-04:00

i'm trying to blog everyday

as a way to vent. it's that time of the year at work known as crunch time so i suppose the stress is high. it's funny though. even though we are working hard to get our numbers up i'm not particularly stressed,

irritated, yes!

well, i suppose i am carrying some stress. i have been eating EVERYTHING in sight. and my workouts don't happen. this is not like me at all. i actually didn't notice until i pulled out a pair of black pants from my closet and the darn pants had the audicity to be tight. and the thing is that i don't care. i'll still be cute with extra love handles and belly rolls, right? just kidding! hopefully, within the next few weeks i can regulate and balance all that is askew in my life right now.

sigh.

i'm obsessed

2009-07-22T14:31:00.004-04:00

lately i've been obsessed with home design and interior renovation. instead of the garbage reality shows and sitcoms i usually watch my telly stays tuned into hgtv and the fine living network. i even spend the day searching interior design websites. you know what this means....time to move!

here is some of the decor looks i've found. i'm inspired!

also, i've been doing a horrible job at crediting the sites where i get the pictures from. i'm was an english major so i know the type of hell waiting for me for not citing the pictures correctly....but you all know these aren't my pix. maybe when i'm bored i will go back and add the correct sites to the pix i have borrowed. to start off, these pictures were found at this amazing interior design site called http://www.interiordesignideas.net/

to follow-up from the previous post

2009-07-21T11:21:00.002-04:00

a friend of mine from memphis, who i've known since 7th grade, just recently moved to georgia. she is among the list of friends who didn't make the cut at the beginning of the year. specifically, she's the one whose lifestyle is less than desirable. anyway, she moved to georgia recently and obviously wants to see me because for her i am still her best friend. so she's been calling
and calling
and calling
trying to catch up with me.
i finally listened to one of her voicemails and it was just
sad
i'm a bad person. who am i to blast someone else's life? but on the flip side, i honestly have no desire to be in contact with her.
sad
aren't friends suppose to lift you up, inspire you? why can't i be that for her?
aren't friends suppose to be a reflection of yourself and ultimately who you want to be? why can't she be that for me?
i've grown so much since the last time we lived within walking distance of each other, but she hasn't...i dunno

'cause we're best friends, right?

2009-07-20T09:55:00.004-04:00

since the year started i have downsized the number of people i consider my friends. i'm relentless.
i've been cutting folks left and right for minor offenses. if you make me feel bad, you're gone; if your lifestyle differs from mine, you're outta here; if you're messy, buh-bye; if you don't listen, you're dunzo.

now i don't have anyone to hang out with. no one to call.

so i'm wondering if i should sacrifice my sanity and nerves just to have someone to talk to?

perhaps,find replacements?

how do you even go about getting new friends at this age? my co-workers are not an option. church maybe? the salespeople at my fave stores? my parents? dunno.

perhaps i can use this time to focus on myse....naw, that sounds lame.

here's a song by amy winehouse called "best friends"...apparently she's had the same problem with her best friends.

Best Friend - Amy Winehouse

meatloaf at 10am

2009-07-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

it's only 10am and i'm eating my lunch. VP asked me about deposits before i could even make my coffee...today is not starting off too well.

fyi

2009-07-07T11:43:00.002-04:00

i just spent an hour changing the template and look of this blog only to return to the orginal format.

i even added labels to every post i had.

i have over 100 posts too!

is this really my job?

2009-07-07T10:59:00.006-04:00

though i just came off of a 3 day july 4th weekend i do not feel rested at all. i'm a walking disater....not getting enough sleep, anxious, unfocused, and generally a miserably stressed girl. so in an effort to recharge and refuel my drained body and mind i have requested 2 days off...this friday and monday to be exact....hoping to come back as a new woman!

well, i submitted my request to VP and he replied back that it was fine as long as i check my email during my hiatus? not a joke.

seriously?

a similar incident happened during a hiatus in may when i was in charlotte getting my learning on. director (before she got canned) called me a good 3 times while i was on vacation. seriously? has the definition of personal time changed and i was unaware?

is this really my job?

a bit of a change around these parts

2009-07-05T14:49:00.006-04:00

i have to turn in my first poetry submission next month on the 15th and right now i have nothing. i've been writing, but haven't been crafting anything into poetry and that's the most difficult part.

something about the summer makes me want to be lazy....it's the heat i think.

anyway, i have a ton of things going on this week...most of which i cannot discuss here until it's fruition....so my posting will be a bit spotty, but i will return with a vengeance sometime next week.

back to the grind

2009-06-30T15:49:00.000-04:00

since being back from charlotte i have been so sluggish; mostly not wanting to do any work. i'm so focused on reading and writing and looking up poetry online. the residency really changed my focus.

before the mfa began i never really thought about taking it further. i simply wanted to become a better writer for myself, but now that i am seeing the possibilities (and now that i am really starting to get burned out at my job)i am seeing that i want to do more with it.

though i am just a semester into the mfa i already see myself publishing a collection of poetry and possibly teaching writing...dunno.

but i know this whole admissions thing is not cutting it anymore. the whole work dynamic has changed. i thought the environment with our old VP was bad, but this new set-up is for the birds!

but anyway, getting back to the old work grind has been difficult to say the least.

2009-06-30T12:20:00.004-04:00

i've always been a fan of Sia, but i've been sleeping on her latest album until now. check out this sonng!

Soon Well Be Found - Sia

evil stank eye

2009-06-29T13:52:00.001-04:00

anyone who knows me knows i am good for producing some pretty screwed up faces. basically if you are full of it i give you one wicked face. i've become so good at it that i don't event realize when i'm looking frumpy at someone.

last week, we were in a staff meeting (this fact already makes me grumpy) and my supervisor VP asks me the same question he asks every 5 seconds, "how many deposits are you expecting this week?" this is a perfectly valid question. this is my job-to produce results. but i am just so annoyed with him...ugh! outside of the meeting he asks this on average 8 times a day (no joke, i actually counted it one day)so i was just fed up and shot him my dirtiest looks. he had his head down so i figured he didn't see me.

WRONG!

the next day he approached me and asked me why i gave him such a dirty look.

wow...i was so embarrased. i tried to play it off like i was joking, but the damage is done. well, although he thinks i'm a miserable bitch, perhaps, this is stop him from asking me so much.dunno.

stay fab!

stream of consciousness

2009-06-27T13:44:00.005-04:00

it's so funny. throughout the week i have so much going on that will be great blog topics. sometimes i consider writing down my thoughts so that when i actually make time to write it will be easier for me to recall...then i talk myself out of it; telling myself that i will remember EVERY interesting thought that came to mind. but inevitably, i forget each and every time.

right now i am in atlanta bread company. i come here to, of course, use the internet, but also to read, write, stud, people watch. there is this this girl sitting two tables down that i went to high school with. i hate seeing people i went to high school with in the streets. but since i am living in the same city i went to high school it's kind of inevitable. i doubt she remembers me. her name is violet. we took ap english together. that class was so hard for me because i didn't fit in. everyone already knew each other from there other english classes. everyone was so smart and spoke so cohesively. i didn't. so i didn't speak up much in class. anyway, i'm listening to violet's conversation (she's sitting with a group of people) and she's still full of shit...just a little bit more than she was in high school.

wow, so this man just complimented me on my computer, stating that it looked like a nice size for an 11 year old (i have one of those mini laptops). then he asked me how much it cost. i told him. and he just flipped out! rude!

budget cuts

2009-06-06T13:06:00.006-04:00

director got cut yesterday.

laid off.

let go.

fired.

the reasoning was budget cuts, but something in my spirit does not wholly accept that answer. in recent months, there have been so many instances of director's ineminent dismissal (removal of authority, scret meetings, arguments, etc.). something in the milk ain't clean.

it's so funny; she annoyed the shit out of me, but i'm really sad that she was let go and i genuinely wish her the best. honestly, this is for the best. i mean, no one liked her and she knew it; what a sucky workplace for her to be in.

anyway, our supervisor, VP, held a meeting to break the news to us and left us with the message that we are a family and that he guaranteed that no one else would be let go...i guess director was not part of the family.

stay fab!

the first residency is over

2009-05-30T20:44:00.003-04:00

omg, this week went by so very fast. i started the queens mfa program on sunday and tomorrow i am making the journey back home. i'm kinda sad, but i'm ready to get back to normalcy and writing.

so a brief rundown of my week.

sunday: arrived on campus, checked into my room, went to the welcome session, toured the campus, met my groups, crashed.

monday: ate breakfast, first class called 'reading as a writer,' lunch, met with my large group workshop, dinner.

tuesday: well, everyday pretty much looked the same....

stay fab!

half sister

2009-05-29T21:42:00.001-04:00

so i have a half sister.

i've always known i've had a half sister, but since she's never been in my life i don't mention her. well, out of the blue she found me on facebook and added me as a friend. just fyi

stay fab!

lessons learned: relationships

2009-05-27T08:28:00.002-04:00

it happened again today.

i was eating dinner with a lovely writer from the program and she asked the question.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

i look down as i begin to cut into the large piece of meat on my plate. earlier in the day, while running errands around the city, we spotted a Middle Eastern restaurant called Grill Kabob. curious, we both decided to meet up at the restaurant after our last class of the day. however, as i played around with the tough beef kabob I wished we would have stuck to a more familiar fare.

"No," i reply as i place my fork down on the table, giving up on my attempt to finish the oddly cooked beef. i look up in time to see my dinner companion give me an awkward and astonished face, as if she'd just bitten into a cut lemon with salt sprinkled on top.
"How old are you?" she questions.
i've always wonder why people, often strangers, ask this question...

ha ha that was my attempt at fiction. but the situation was real. i just came home from dining with a new friend i met while in charlotte, then she goes and ruins the mood by asking me such a ridiculous question. however, since this question is always coming up i'm beginning to wonder if i'm not the problem; and got me to thinking about my relationship portfolio.

i've learned so much about myself from being in relationships. in my first college relationship i met a guy, let's call him Brandon. i met him through my, get this, roommate's cousin....we all attended the same school. quite honestly, i was not attracted to Brandon, but he liked me so much so i figured i should date him. WRONG! he was annoying as crap. i spent the majority of our relationship trying to get out of it! now, 5 years after our relationship i can say we are friends...but he's still annoying as all hell. through Brandon i realized that just because someone likes you, it doesn't mean you should date him.

my next important relationship happened a few years later while still in college. hmmmm, let's call him Brandon 2. and we were so off and on. always fighting and in and out of each other's life...so frustrating. at one point we were secretly together (that's a ginormous hint of a bad relationship if i ever saw one)....ugh! just thinking about this relationship angers me all over again. just recently we were in each other's lives, trying to do the relationship thing...obviously didn't work. but looking back i've realized that i changed myself too much for him. my clothes, my conversation, everything. in retrospect, i was actually physically uncomfortable around Brandon 2 because of i was hiding so much of myself. sigh.

i never want to be in a position where i am not 100% of myself with someone again.

stay fab!
(side note: are these pics cheesy? i try to add pix to break up all the words, but i'm beginning to wonder if it's over the top)

i've been workshopped...

2009-05-26T22:53:00.002-04:00

today was my first workshop....well, i've been workshopped before, but never on this level....and let me just say...WOW!

it makes me question being a writer. the words and comments weren't harsh, but it was a very weird vibe which left me with a strange feeling.

a portrait of the artist as a young woman

2009-05-25T20:27:00.001-04:00

so i arrived in charlotte yesterday to start the MFA program. i'm so excited! it is an amazing feeling to be part of such an awesome program. in my circle of friends i am the only writer i know, so to be around other writers....poets...is lovely and bizarre both at the same time.

everyone i have met so far is awesome and so dedicated to their craft; all the poets in my circle are amazing.

although i've only been here for 24 hours i have already taken a new approach to my craft. i just hope that i can carry this newness back home when the residency is over. for the first time in my life i am viewing myself as a writer....both a humbling and scary thing. although it feels great, it's also a bit overwhelming. i feel like i have a duty to those who read my work. i don't know...a barrage of thoughts are running through my head.

anyway, tomorrow is my day to workshop my poems (yikes!)and i'm a bit nervous so i'm planning on reading my work tonight before i present it so i won't stumble over anything.

but before i leave, here are some snapshots of the very humble diggs i will reside in for this residency

stay fab!

facebook

2009-05-24T20:43:00.001-04:00

facebook is evil!

it's the torture of high school online.

in an attempt to have the most friends, you accept requests from some of the most annoying people from your past. suffering through attention craved status updates and vainglorious mobile pic updates. and you can't de-friend anyone because it makes you look petty, and blah, blah, blah.

but despite its annoyances people don't quit facebook because essentially to be in the know is much more desirable than not knowing anything at all.

sigh.

thankfully, i discovered the feature on facebook where you can hide all those staus updates and photo uploads.

stay fab!

i work with crazies!

2009-05-22T13:04:00.001-04:00

since the inception of this blog, it is pretty clear that the people i work with don't have much common sense or courtesy (just being honest).

but lately the crazy in my office has been on a record high. there has been several instances of bitchassness, snitching (which is kinda like bitchassness), laziness, hysteria, disillusion, and micromanagement. so this upcoming, week long hiatus at Queens is much needed! hopefully, i will return to work with a better temperment after my studies.

anyway, this summer is projected to be a big one! my little sister is FINALLY graduating from college (i say finally, but she is only stayng an extra semester) and to celebrate we are hitting up VEGAS!

i know vegas is a cliche getaway, but i've never been and quite honestly i haven't been wild since i was in college so it's time to get it!

i will keep you all posted on the planning for this trip!

stay fab!

oh, is that next week?

2009-05-17T13:00:00.003-04:00

so i've been totally oblivious to the calender because i forgot that my writing program starts next week. oops! i have a ton of reading to do, and although i've started on it, i've been reading as a casual reader, rather than as a grad student...ugh!!!

UPDATE: in addition to not reading, i've also just realized that i missed about 7 books that i need to buy...oops...this grad school thing is not starting off too well!

stay fab!

abundant life

2009-05-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

hey all!

i'm back from my sabbatical (ha!) and i feel renewed and ready to blog! tons of stuff has been going on, but it's a ton of the same stuff. so i will take my time on updating about work and what is new in my life.

while i was away, my spiritual life has really blossomed and i really feel invigorated and more prepared to face the world. from february until mid april i fasted from the telly.

there were numerous reasons why i did it (1. to focus on writing and preparing grad school applications 2. to grow closer to God 3. because the tv is garbage). and let me tell you, fasting is such a awesome experience. despite your religion, beliefs, or life views one should always make the time to nurture their spirituality (just my opinion).

anyway, during my fast from the telly i was drawn to the phrase of living abundantly. first, i happened to read John 10:10 in which Jesus basically says that he lived and died so that we can live abundant lives. ok, so i got that message. but for the whole entire fast the concept of abundant living reappeared. from a friend who i haven't spoken to in awhile leaving me a voicemail talking about abundant life, to several facebook statuses about the abundant life, and so on. and i don't think it's a coincident!

now that i have these "signs" about living abundantly it is pretty obvious that the fast taught me to live abundantly, but quite honestly i don't know what that means. of course, i know that abundant means rich in quantity (or something like that), but i'm so accustomed to living my life so safely and securely that living fully, though i understand the concept, is new to me. where do i start? what do i do? and where do i begin?

i've been sitting on this abundant life for far too long.

stay fab!

i haven't forgotten

2009-04-06T14:39:00.005-04:00

to update my blog, but i've been having major mind blockage (writer's block maybe)...so much has been going on and i'm feeling so many emotions right now...but i'll prmoise i'll update soon.

oh swag, where could you be?

2009-03-25T09:55:00.002-04:00

i have lost my swag.

well, i'm not even sure i had swag, but whatever i had is gone!

i use to be so cute, so together, polished...but now i'm not. what happened?

i need to get it together...ASAP!

stay fab!

2009-03-25T09:46:00.005-04:00

so queens university of charlotte is the only school i have heard from so far, but that's okay because i am so willing to attend.

so i wanted to clarify this whole grad school thing. it's not a traditional grad school program. it's a low residency program which means i would stay home and study, but 2 times a semester i would travel to the campus for workshops, etc. for me this set up has its pros and cons so i just hope it works out for me. i do know someone who works there (i met her at an admissions conference).the first residency is the end of may and i'm planning on going. my intention was not to pursue a low residency program, but once i learned about queens i decided to go for it...i figure that low res grad school is better than no grad school. also, i really hope i can turn this experience into a greater opportunity...you just never know.

i'm pretty excited despite the low residency program, but no one else seems that excited for me...i told my mom and she was like, "meh." i told some friends and their responses weren't as awesome as i was expecting. the old me would be slightly deterred by this...but i'm not, surprisingly. i really need to learn how to do me!

stay fab!

great news

2009-03-19T12:55:00.003-04:00

so last saturday i got a call from Queens University of Charlotte and guess what...

they accepted me into their MFA program....yippe!!

more details to come, but just wanted to share!

stay fab!

guys

2009-03-16T09:48:00.007-04:00

i'm not sure if i mentioned this but i am not dating until november. i made the vow to myself last november; initially, not by choice, but now that i am 4 months deep into this predicament i have decided to take ownership of my single status. after numerous bad dating experiences last year i'm just outdone...this dating thing is not for me. so i figure i should take some time out of the game to get my weight up and get my head right!

so, because of this hiatus from dating i'm a little confused about some feelings i'm going through right now. some time last year i hooked up with this guy (side note: what the hell does hook up mean? i never really heard that word until laguna beach and even then i was always confused about whether hook up meant just making out or actually sexing. however, for future knowledge, when i use the word hook up i DO NOT mean sexing...i would just come out and say it). though i am a lady i am still a child of this generation (don't judge), so the fact that i met someone yet made out with him crazy on the same day is nothing out of the ordinary. but what is out of the ordinary is that i cannot stop thinking about him! he is really a great guy, has his head right, and is actually the type of man i would want to be with! YIKES! am i crazy? it's been 6 months and i still think about him on a daily basis....well, the fact that we are facebook friends aids in my inability to get rid of him in my head.but everytime i come across his profile, i think to myself, "he would be good for me....i would be good for him." is this just some one sided thing? could he be thinking of me? is this normal?

speaking about guys...i went on a date last october with this other guy and we were kinda talking but then he goes ghost. for example, in december, before the holidays, he disappeared. i texted him once and got no reply so i figured he was done with me. which was actually okay with me...i don't expect every guy to like me. but then he resurfaces in january with a text that states, "you just forgot me?" huh? he claims that he was trying to contact me and i never replied back; and i just don't believe that...i mean, my phone acts janky at times, but if you've been trying to get at me i would have received at least one of your messages. so after that he went ghost again! then yesterday he sends me another text message stating, "damn you forgot me." ugh!!!! i didn't reply back.

so that leaves me single BUT very happy! despite the images of the broken hearts i am far from broken hearted (i just really liked the images). i am doing big things in my life and i really just need to focus on the different endeavors i plan to pursue.

stay fab!

spring is almost here

2009-03-11T11:11:00.004-04:00

last week in most parts of the southeast the weather called for a heavy coat and boots, but this week the beginning of spring is being ushered in. by the time the season changes i am beyond ready to let go of winter. though winter is my favorite season, after a few weeks i am ready to shed the coat! well, this spring i am even more excited about the season change for the simple fact that i want to be a lady this upcoming season. i want to wear poufy belted floral skirts and bright colors. i am ready to let go of my winter grays, browns, and blacks! i was just on the lucky magazine website and saw an example of the look i am going for this spring.

isn't she gorgeous?!

next weekend, i am taking my usual new season shopping trip to h&m and i will most definitely be on the lookout for cute, feminine patterned dresses and skirts!

stay fab!

mahogany

2009-03-06T09:57:00.000-05:00

i love this movie!

stay fab!

micro management

2009-03-05T10:23:00.009-05:00

so i came into work today prepared to actually do work, but everyone seems to be taking over...so f*** it...

to clarify, i work in a micro managed office. directors and supervisors neglect their own jobs and get in my kool aid. for example, let's say my student emails my director. rather than forward the email to me, director will respond to the email, cc me on the email, then email me stating that she responded to the email. wtf? even fellow admissions counselors are getting in on the fun. in an email, which included the other counselors, director asked me to be the point person for an assignment. but another counselor took it upon herself to do the task without even letting me know...so whatev....if they wanna do extra shit then let them do extra shit...their salary ain't gonna be increased (please excuse my profane language...i try not to cuss, but this shit is going to another level).

so anyway, work is the pits so in situations like this i like to work on self-improvement; my own personal betterment! my sister teases me and says that my blog should now be a hair and fitness blog because that's all i talk about!

remember when i was through with the salons? well, i'm still through and have been managing my hair myself and let me say...it ain't bad. i do my own relaxers, washes, everything...it's all me!

and i have noticed a difference! though gaining length wasn't my initial goal, i have noticed some length as well as stronger hair. my secret is deep conditioner. i do it every time i wash...it's time consuming but it's worth it...my hair is no longer see through!

as far as fitness goes...i have been slacking lately. because of work and writing essays and other stuff i haven't had much time for the gym, but this month i'm focused to get back on track!

i am planning several summer getaways so that means getting the body right! so i'm back to lunchtime AND after work sweat sessions. kinda extreme, i know.

another thing that keeps my spirits up when work is KILLING me is music. let me tell you, the song "Blame it" by Jamie Foxx and T-Pain is my morning drive wake up song.

i can't be unhappy when this song comes even if i tried....sometimes i just have to close my office door and booty pop for a mood boost.so take a listen and let me know what you think!

Blame It (Remix) - Jamie Foxx feat Yung Joc & T-Pain

stay fab!

another thing marked off my to-do list...

2009-03-04T14:39:00.007-05:00

i just mailed out my final grad school application.... this calls for a celebration!

it feels so good to be done with all of that! now begins the tough part...waiting. let's make an agreement, if i don't get into any schools...you won't hear about. i won't mention it and no one else will mention it. we will just know that i didn't get in anywhere. but if i get in...of course you i will release the information. got it?

omg my recruitment event that i worked so hard to plan was kind of a disaster. the actual event rocked and was really solid; however, the day before it snowed which really affected the turn out. so out of maybe 30 RSVP's only 8 showed up. i have a feeling that despite the weather there would have been a low turn out, but i can't do anything about it.but the fact that the event is over calls for a celebration!

during my lunch break i went to the gap and bought this awesome skirt for $10.97 and guess what....it was a size 10...i don't ever fit into a size 10 so yay me....i'm not going to claim size 10 just yet, but knowing that it's actually possible makes me so happy. this calls for another celebration!

you know, i'm really starting to like gap. depending on the season, they are pretty hit or miss with me, but my last two shopping experiences with the gap have resulted in great additions to my wardrobe. last week i bought one of the red shirts where the proceeds go to AIDS research and a pair on gray straight leg jeans (I don't ever wear straight leg jeans either).....yay gap....this calls for a celebration!

just kidding!

stay fab!

2009-02-17T17:15:00.008-05:00

maintaining the fab is going to be hard in the next few weeks. you see, at work i have an event coming up. due to ill planning, (i'm not going to take the blame because the communications department is notorious for this) the invitations were mailed out 2 weeks before the event...yikes! so i'm praying for a miracle guys. so far we have 10 RSVP's....so hopefully (prayerfully) another 10 can sign up so i won't look like a complete loser.

also, this grad school thing is majorly stressing me out. i have already applied to one school and i even got a reply back (i think), but thing is i haven't opened the letter...just too scared. i mailed out a second application earlier this week and will mail out my finally application by the end of this week. i probably won't ever open those letters either...unless i'm really drunk...nothing ever fazes me when i'm smashed.

but anyway, no one wants to hear about this...

why do people feel the need to inquire about your relationship status? i get this question oh, say, daily and it's starting to become quite annoying. i am such a relationship person, but i'm hardly EVER in a relationship (not even a prospect), so to be constantly reminded or made to feel funny about it is an extra hard pill to swallow. perhaps, it's out of concern, lack of conversation topics, or curiosity (maybe they want to hook me up with someone)...i dunno.

UPDATE: why do people feel the need to inquire about what you're eating (or not eating). so i work in an office where birthday's are celebrated by cakes and other sweets. yesterday we had cake and cookies for someone's birthday. i politely declined and everyone lost their minds. "well, why don't you want cake?" "do you want cookies?" "i don't understand" "you're so good...you must be on a diet." i didn't think it was that big of a deal. it was really awkward...so i left. then today was someone else's birthday so of course cake was involved....same thing. i understand that we are a celebratory nation that celebrates with food but i honestly wasn't hungry...in addition to simply not being hungry, here are other reasons why i didn't eat the cake ...it was 9am, honestly, cake makes me have the bubble guts and i didn't want to be on the toilet all day, something's wrong with me(not sick, but i've been reacting funny to food...so until my doctor appt. i'm not gonna chance it with some cheap cake).and i am not on a diet...why do i have to do on a diet if i refuse cake?.....just wanted to vent a bit!

stay fab!

work/ home/ life

2009-02-11T13:36:00.004-05:00

so, i know i've been m.i.a for a bit. it's so funny...i had every intention on updating. i even would open the text box and be ready to hit publish, but i couldn't update for some reason. i do have a lot going on right now, so let me brief you...

my job

ugh! my job. i feel like a loser because i am always complaining about my job. but it really does cause me stress. then i stress over possible stress at a new job. it's funny how we dislike where we are at in life, yet don't change it because the newness of the new is too scary. anyway, much is the same...blah.

i do have an event to plan. and guess what? it's march 2 and nothing is planned. i'm going through these periods of excitement and creativity but then it's quickly followed by nonchalance and a general uncaring attitude. i can't stay balanced long enough to get this thing done.

my life

right now my life in general is making me smile. guess what i did? i turned in an application for a graduate program. omg...that was such a proud moment in my life. i still have 2 more to do, but with this first one out of the way it can only get easier from here. honestly, i don't know what my next move is but despite the uncertainty i am feeling confident...that 'yes we can' spirit is in my bones.

my home

is a mess. no, actually a mess. my room has transformed into a hair salon, music space, closet, office, living room, dining room, and storage area. i barely have the room to actually sleep in there. and let me tell you, my feng shui is so off...i have too much activity going on...ugh! i really need to move out, move out, move out!

stay fab!

guess who's back/ happy new year

2009-01-07T11:32:00.006-05:00

i'm back

so i took a little break because nothing was really going on so i figured i should go and do something so i can have a story to tell...and still nothing.

anyway, have you noticed it's a new year?!

i don't usually do the resolution thing but this year seems so big, so hopeful (despite global news),so i feel as if i have to be big, hopeful, and new!

here are some projects (ha!) i have going on in my life right now:

1. piano lessons

i started playing the piano when i was eight and stopped at 16, i've always loved it and decided that now is the time to get back to it!

i start my lessons this weekend! i have a man teacher...ugh...for some reason male piano teachers give me the creeps.

2. better work attitude

i know it seems as if i hate my job, but i don't...i just see myself doing bigger and better things! but until i can get to the next chapter in my life i need to be a better worker. that means getting to work on time, presenting my best work, and staying busy. and so far my game has been on point. i have been been getting to work on time, being active in the office (being more vocal), and basically doing my job. i really should humble myself if i expect to move on in the next phase of my life!

3. work out harder

i've always been a workout feign, but now i want to look like a workout feign! over the break i incorporated running and i can now do 3 miles! it took so long to get to this point. i also want to get more defined muscles and finally get the abs i've always wanted. wish me luck!

4. more yoga

since becoming an exercise feign i've forgotten what it feels like for a workout to not involve rapid pulsations, loud music, and pounding the pavement.

5. get into an awesome grad program

i'm actually serious about this grad school thing. i have 3 schools i am applying to, but the part that worries me most are the freaking essays. i really do believe i will create a masterpiece statement of purpose, but to ensure that my creative juices stay ready to create i am taking another writing class...an essay writing class to be exact! there will be no shucking and jiving this year!

i gotta go...stay fab!

work update

2008-12-04T11:36:00.004-05:00

thanksgiving has made me lazy, leaving me in anticipation of christmas.

work is a drag...per usual, but especially this week. imagine this: someone asks you to create a spreadsheet and tells you exactly what they want on it, but it's never right; not because your doing it incorrectly, but because they are ocd. yes, this is what i've had to deal with all week.

let me briefly tell you what's up.

so i was suppose to compile a spreadsheet of students within specific cities for an upcoming event (which is gonna be a failure btw) in january. once the spreadsheet is created, invitations will be sent to the students. so basically the spreadsheet is needed to put on labels which will go on the invite. the spreadsheet consists of the usual (name, address, school, etc.). so i do this and each and every time i send it to the person who wants it (surprise it's not director or VP) she sends it back saying something is wrong.

attempt #1: "can you use different tabs for each city?"

me: okay, i suppose this isn't a problem

attempt #2: "can you indicate which person is a student, guidance counselor, parent?"

me: again, this is not a problem.

attempt #3:"can you do the spreadsheet in the exact sequence that i want it?"

me: ummmm, okay...why does this matter? it's not gonna affect the outcome of creating labels for the invite.

attempt #4: "you're not doing it right, let me forward you an example of what i want. let me send someone to help you."

me:ummmm, this is exactly what i keep sending you. now i feel stupid, as if i should be sitting in a special education classroom instead of my office.

attempt #5: "i'm an anal retentive beatrice who wants you to feed into my need to compulsion"

me: oh! so that's what the problem is?! you should have said that from the beginning. now i'm just not going to do it!

this actually stressed me out...to the point where tears threatened to fall from my eyes. however, after sleeping over it (i really wasn't going to do it), i decided to suck it up and do what she asks. however, this occurrence simply reiterated that i do not belong in an office...i'm too fierce and sane for all this....rather, i need to be out in the world working on my bucket list goal
# 4 & 5!

so the lesson for today is create options for yourself so you won't be stuck doing stupid shit during your day.

i'm sure i will be so over this (by next year...i hold grudges!)! me and this person are actually really cool...so it will fade :)

stay fab!

oversees sexy

2008-11-21T10:58:00.002-05:00

i found this sexy sexy japanese singer/ actor type and had to share his beauty!

takuya kimura

he even did an ad with beyonce for samantha thavasa handbags!

stay fab!

work update

2008-11-21T10:45:00.003-05:00

i realize that i haven't updated much about work.

honestly, not much is going on...oh, except for the fact that director is lazy and doesn't really do anything. so, as i reported a few weeks back her position has been altered slightly. rather than sitting in her office and doing nothing, she now travels just like the rest of the counselors and apparently continues to do nothing. let me share some examples:

1) she was covering a college fair for me in st. augustine, florida but didn't actually cover it. one of my admissions connections told me he was going to make it a point to introduce himself to director at this fair, but trouble is he couldn't find our table.

2) when we went to seattle there was 2 days of the college fair. why did director only want to do the first day of the fair? and don't forget that instead of attending sessions for the conference she slept in (to sleep off her hangover).

3) yesterday, she covered a fair in augusta for a co-worker, whose mother happened to be attending the fair for her job (i think she's a high school teacher)...apparently, director ditched the second day of the fair and when she was present she was not even at the table.

wtf? i really don't know what to do...it's not fair and not right. i want to tell new VP, but don't really know how to approach or even if it will be a big deal to him

any ideas?

stay fab!

on the road part III

2008-11-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

so, i'm done with traveling for this year! it actually went by really really fast and i had fun most of the time, but really...this travel season served as a reminder of how much my job can suck.

one thing that kept me going through my travels was my playlist. every week i created a new playlist to get me through my long drives.

here's my most recent playlist:

cassie "official girl"

rihanna "rehab"

Rehab - Rihanna

houston "let me love you down"

t-pain feat. ludacris "chopped and screwed"

Chopped and Screwed - T-Pain & Ludacris -

beyonce "single ladies (put a ring on it)"

dru hill "I should be"

pink "so what"

fefe dobson "kiss me fool"

Kiss Me Fool - Fefe Dobson

prince "beautiful ones'

The Beautiful Ones - Prince

yeah yeah yeahs "maps"

james blunt "you're beautiful"

britney spears "womanizer"

danity kane "right now"

ciara feat. t-pain "go girl"

janelle monae "many moons" and "violet starts happy hunting"

jazmine sullivan "lions, tigers, and bears" and "i'm hot"

lady gaga "just dance"

Just Dance (Ft. Colby ODonis & Akon) - Lady GaGa

stay fab!

bucket list update

2008-11-07T09:31:00.002-05:00

i really thought my post on the bucket list would be a haphazard, never think about it again type thing...but i see myself starting to work on goals from my list without even thinking of it.

my # 2 goal of doing a race

well, i did have an opportunity to participate in a race 2 weekends ago, but i didn't want to drive there (it was located at the school where i work, which is 30 mins from my house, blah, blah, blah....excuses right?). but i have been running on a regular basis as of late.....i'm up to 1.5 miles.

my # 4 goal of publishing a book

well, i'm not taking meetings with editors just yet, but i am in a creative writing class and looking into an mfa program in north carolina...so that counts, right?

stay fab!

today is very special!

2008-11-04T09:42:00.000-05:00

not only is it election day (hope you guys early voted), but it's also my birthday!yay me!

it's kind of unfortunate to have to share my birthday with such a BIG election....but i really don't think i would be doing anything else so whatev.

here's some people who also have to share their birthday with the election

diddy

trishelle (yeah, from the real world)

matthew mcconaughey (sexy)

jeff probst (survivor)

walter cronkite (idk)

stay fab and Barack the Vote!

2008-10-31T21:20:00.002-04:00

secretly, i love amy winehouse (it's not well known because of the whole crack thing). i think her voice and music is amazing...if i could deliver a poem or novel the way she delivers a song i would be a really great writer!

i thought i knew every song she ever did, but i recently found this one called "brutha".....pretty awesome....check it out!

Brutha - Amy Winehouse

stay fab!

hair drama

2008-10-30T21:06:00.001-04:00

remember how i said i decided on a new hair guy?

well, i lied :(

well, i thought he would be my guy, but the last time i went to the salon i was grossed out....it's filthy. i can't stand dirty salons! i mean, why would you want to go to a salon like that?

so now i'm stuck. i know what you're thinking....just suck it up and do your own hair, but it's not that easy. when i was younger my parents would just drop me and my sis off at the salon every 2 weeks just to get it washed! in college, i was forced to do my own hair and honestly, it wasn't that bad and i kinda got good at it...actually, my hair in college was more fierce than it is now...ironic, huh? but i was dealing with my hair when it was in it's natural state....so i could be straight one day, then curly one day (ugh! why did i get a relaxer?)

anyway, i recently when to the ulta salon for a simple wash in style (i was traveling and my hair was a mess) and let me tell you....those people are bananas and overpriced!

so, i've decided to learn how to do my hair (i was thinking about going natural again, but i'm convinced that my hair HATES me because of all the changes i put it through so i'm waiting a year before i make anymore impulsive hair decisions). i'm going to learn to 1) wash it 2)condition it 3)style it

wish me luck (and advice if you have any)

stay fab!

on the road part II

2008-10-29T20:36:00.006-04:00

hello all!

i'm traveling again in georgia...right now i'm in savannah. next to atlanta, seattle, new york, and london (though i've never been there), savannah is my fave city. it's so southern and quaint in an old southern and quaint way....it's actually charming. it has culture that is beyond southern...it's so georgian that it's almost not georgia.

anyway, let me update you on what's going on.

remember when i said i was working on my shopping? well, i've been doing really well....well, kinda. when i get paid i immediately pay myself then pay the bills (that's what the experts say to do), so whatever is left over fair game, right? no!i'm still working on that part...but rome wasn't built in a day!

anyway, to get around my little problem i tell myself that i'm doing early christmas shopping,but even that is getting ridiculous. case in point - today i was in nine west and saw some cute shoes that my sis would love so i bought a pair for her then bought 2 for me....ugh! but all the shoes were on sale with an additional 20% off....not bad right?

here's what i got if you're curious

okay, next

so i've been an admission counselor for 2 full years now...3 travel seasons. during college fairs the schools are in abc order....so i've pretty much been sitting by the same tables and people since 2006. so tell me why a certain rep from a certain school in a city that stinks (i won't name names this time) acted brand new when travel season started this year? she came up to me and asked, "do i know you?" maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much if we've never spoken and greeted each other before, but we talk ALL the time....i'm outdone!

omg, it seems as if this year is my year to get speeding tickets...i've gotten 2 tickets this year while working...ugh! anyone who knows me, knows i do not speed!

well, i'm gonna get back to top model...i'm really not into it anymore, but we don't have cw at the house so i figure i should watch it.

stay fab!

sex with mom and dad?

2008-10-17T10:17:00.001-04:00

is anyone else watching the new mtv show "sex with mom and dad?"

if not, here's the general idea of the show...kids (maybe 16 to 21) and their parents openly discuss their sex lives with each other. this is the most awkward show i've ever witnessed, yet i am always waiting for it to come on. a part of me thinks that sex and parents do not need to be in the same sentence, but the other part of me thinks that this open discussion is pretty awesome. i wonder how a discussion like this would turn out between me and my parents...hmmmmm!

stay fab!

random post

2008-10-16T13:13:00.001-04:00

sooooo, who is she voting for?

stay fab!

boyfriend wins

2008-10-07T13:01:00.002-04:00

remember a few weeks ago i cheated on my stylist? well, boyfriend wins!

stay fab!

2008-10-07T12:20:00.001-04:00

i just wanted to take a moment and post this picture of kerry washington....love her!

don't know where she is or what she's promoting but she is sooo hot!

stay fab!

seattle revisted

2008-10-06T12:27:00.007-04:00

due to my intense level of busy i was not able to discuss much about seattle so here's all the highlights!

the hotel room fiasco

so, before the trip, director put all the tasks involved with seattle on me (i.e. arranging material, registering for the event, etc.). this also included booking the hotel. in her email to me it was quite obvious that we were to share a hotel room....but i just couldn't do it! so i booked two rooms (total $1400). i didn't try to hide it though; in my correspondence to her i made sure to say "rooms" and even forwarded her the confirmation email. so when we got to the hotel and she found out that i indeed booked 2 rooms she decided to act brand new. this act was so fake. i asked her, "should i go downstairs and get 1 room for us?" she responded, "i'm not giving up my room!"

director didn't do anything.

the first 2 days of being in seattle i did not see director even though out hotel rooms were side by side. when i finally got in contact with her (i broke down and called her cell to make sure she was still alive) she told me she had been party hopping. she didn't even attend any of the sessions of the conference the first two days!

i made a mistake

after i called her to check in, i told director that we should do lunch. well, lunch turned into spending 1.5 days together. we went on a tour of the city together, i taught her to text, i ate dinner with her boring friends, and we even went to the conference social together....ugh! i had had enough! the next day she wanted to do dinner again and i had to back out....i made up that i had dinner plans with some other admissions counselors i met!

but the good are always rewarded!

at the social, i had to sneak off to get away from director and met this very awesome guy who made my last night in seattle pretty memorable! when i made up plans to get out of dinner with director i decided to text him so that i wouldn't be a total liar. we hung out later that night in my room and did some kissy face (i'm a kissing slut....as friends you should know that). but here's the funny part, i brought him back to my hotel room (remember director's room is next to mine?) and the next day as we were heading to the airport she asked, "did you have a date last night?" hilarious!

stay fab!

sick in south georgia

2008-10-03T23:39:00.000-04:00

i am sick :(

my flight back from seattle was really disgusting....4.5 hours on a cramped plane breathing in others people's air. it seems as if everyone on the flight felt the urge to sneeze at the same time....sucio!

anyway, i'm back on the road, but this time for the georgia portion (albany, tifton, moultrie, and americus) of my travel...ugh...my least fave part of my territory.

seattle

2008-10-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

so, i'm back from seattle.

for some reason the city was not as magical as my previous visits were...dunno, maybe it's because my director (she's no longer my boss thank you)was there. granted she was MIA the whole trip (she really just went for a vacation because she did no work), but just knowing that she was in MY city perturbs me.

anyway, here are some pix from my journey!enjoy!

okay, this last picture doesn't really capture the essence of seattle, but i thought it was cute!

stay fab!

multi-tasking

2008-09-26T21:35:00.004-04:00

i'm watching the presidential debate right now.

i have the hardest time just sitting and watching the tele so i decided to update!

right now i'm in seattle (yay...one of my favorite cities) and i'm loving it. you will be so proud to learn that i haven't spent a dime of money yet......on clothing, etc. well, i had to buy some lotion and that's a necessity. i'm just on day 2 of my trip so i will post more pix at the end of my trip.

so, commercials don't run during debates?!

anyway,

here's a pic of me and my FAUX leather hoodie bomber jacket from h & m

stay fab

on the road part I

2008-09-16T19:38:00.004-04:00

so, as the title suggests i'm on the road. this week was birmingham, mobile (which is so much better than i thought), tallahassee, and gainesville.yay!?

this week was fun of adventure.

1. my rental is ant infested.

and when i called enterprise about it they suggested i buy an ant bomb...wtf?

2. i think i have mr. desperate attached to me.

so to make a looooong story short: i met this guy last year at a college fair. i guess he was interested in me and asked me to dinner. i said no but for some strange reason i still gave him my number. anyway, once i got back home he kept calling and calling. i never answered because like i just said i wasn't intrested. so rewind to yesterday, this guy is at the same college fair from last year. he appraoched me about not calling him. he asked me to dinner again and again i said no. but he still has my number from last year.....needless to say, he's been calling.

but on a great note, my h&m adventure was amazing! i bought a cropped faux leather jacket....yay! pics to come!

stay fab!

h&m madness

2008-09-09T12:14:00.008-04:00

so this weekend i'm going shopping with my little sister. now before you say to yourself, "hey wasn't that girl suppose to be abstaining from the shops?" i must say that this shopping adventure has been on the books for weeks now. also, h&m has so much goodies and for a low price so i will be uber careful.

but anyway, i'm so excited about upgrading and adding to my spring wardrobe that i made my h&m wishlist....wanna see?

1. cropped leather jacket

2. belted dress coat and 3. anything plaid

this cute dress i found at target combines both the now trend of plaid and the sophistication of a dress...oh!

4. jeans

i'm specifically looking for skinny or straight leg jeans but with my thighs and booty i dunno!

5. anything to go with my ankle booties from last winter

yeah, i bought these cute ankle boots last winter and have not worn them yet! i am so determined to find something to work it with. if anyone has suggestions please leave a comment.

stay fab!

shopping part II

2008-09-08T09:56:00.002-04:00

so i'm back in the office this week and really thinking about some could have been purchases from the outlet. did i mention that they had a kate spade outlet...oh yes! also, they had beautiful kate spade handbags on sale...oh yes, they did! i was immediately drawn to this lovely clover zebra handbag

oh yeah, it was only $80 too....and because of my oath to stop the madness with the crazy shopping i declined purchasing it....ugh!! now i'm kicking myself for not buying it....why couldn't i have made that oath AFTER purchasing the fab-ness that is a kate spade bag?

stay fab!

un-official girl

2008-09-05T13:38:00.002-04:00

cassie's new single "official girl" is kinda hot. she's obviously taken some time to get her voice and dancing skills together and it shows. the song is basically about going public with a relationship. one could say that cassie is singing this song to her un-official man diddy.

but anyway, this song got me to thinking...i'm always an un-official girl! almost every relationship i've had has never been public and somewhat hidden....i've never really had a normal, adult relationship. and at 25 years old that's super sad.

each of these relationships had a reason why it was un-official, like he already had a public and official girl (hey, don't judge...i don't do that anymore anyway) or to avoid the drama of having a public relationship (my friends wouldn't approve of some of the people i have dated). but sometimes it was just easier to keep things hush hush....i'm already a private person so it felt more natural for me to just keep this aspect of my life private anyway.

but this song really makes me want my next relationship to be official.....besides, being un-official really messes with your self-esteem.

here's cassie's "official girl" for listening pleasure.

Official Girl (2oo8) - Cassie

has anyone else been an un-official girl?

stay fab!

shopping

2008-09-04T09:57:00.004-04:00

did anyone catch run's house last night?

vanessa and angela went to therapy for shopping addiction! and i realized that i may have a problem as well.

i shop entirely too much.

as soon as my paycheck is deposited in my checking account i immediately pay bills, put a little money in my savings, and with the rest of the money i spend!it's a very depressing cycle. i use to shop to fill a void. but now i shop to fill a void, but as i'm paying for my purchases i've noticed that my void along with guilt fill me.

mtv's true life recently did an episode about shopping addiction. although the cases in the episode were extreme (i don't stop paying my bills because a jacket is on sale and i don't constantly borrow money to support my habit), but i could easily see myself slipping into that pattern.

so, right now i am announcing that i am not going to be like that!

so, how will i do that? well, i'm not sure, but i will start by returning the numerous amounts of clothing and shoes that have been sitting in my closet unworn.

i'll let you know how my journey goes!

stay fab

travel season begins

2008-09-03T22:11:00.004-04:00

i'm on the road....tampa/bradenton/sarasota to be exact and I'm loving it! i have been couped up in georgia all summer (since my cruise)that i have been dying to get out!

as you know i have already found the shopping....my hotel is right by an outlet. i've already spent too much money so the rest of my week will probably be filled with window shopping.

has anyone seen the marie claire uk cover?

one word: HOT!!!

stay fab

what's fab! august 17-23

2008-08-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

fab #1: new seasons of my fave reality shows!

the hills! I know, i know....I am too old and too smart to be caught up in a faux reality show but honestly, after a long day at work it feels sooooo good to get a dose of fashion and friendship and drama in one sitting!

other faux reality shows i'm excited about are:

making the band

p.s. you can't forget the (crazy) fab of laurie ann gibson

sunset tan

fab #2: i'm taking a creative writing class

i recently signed up to take a creative class (i figure i work for a school and can take the class for free, so why not). this is of course a fab thing!

fab #3: ikea catalog

lol! i love ikea and the 2009 catalog is out!

stay fab!

the bucket list

2008-08-20T21:25:00.001-04:00

i haven't seen the movie "the bucket list" but just by looking at the previews and trailer i can assume that it's about men who are dying writing a list of things they want to accomplish or do before they die. for some reason i've been thinking a lot about that list lately (my summer has been filled with death and near death experiences). so i've complied a list (not in any particular order) of some of the things i want to accomplish before i kick the bucket.

1. learn to swim

i have taken numerous lessons, most of my family, being caribbean can swim, but i have an intense fear of water. everytime i have tried to swim i almost always almost die....seriously.

2. complete a half marathon, triathlon, or any sort of race

i'm actually going to sign up for a 5k breast cancer race in october so it's possible that i will complete some of this, but in order to compete in a triathon i need to accomplish #1 first.

3. own house before i get married or settled down

i want to be able to say that i owned a house before i got married....that's it!

4. publish a book

looooove to write! so even if this book isn't a top best seller, publishing it would make me soooo happy.

5. change the world

i know...kinda vague. i honestly don't know what i mean when i say it or how it will be done, but i pray everynight that i will have an impact on the world.

6. own a business

i would love to own a shoe store!

7. wear a 2 piece swim suit

although i've lost some weight, i'm still not feeling 100% confident to rock a 2 piece (btw, doesn't ali larter look great?)

8. live in a different country for awhile (i will settled for NYC or Seattle)

my first choice is london or the west indies.

what's your bucket list?

stay fab

what's fab! august 8-15

2008-08-15T23:30:00.001-04:00

fab #1: every august allure magazine just gives away free beauty products and fashionably pieces. all you have to do is visit the allure magazine website every hour starting at 12p to enter for each item they are giving away. don't believe you could ever win anything? last year i won a free bottle of some new aveeno lotion!

fab #2: did anyone else catch the 2008 olympics in beijing, china?! amazing! i haven't felt as inspired by an olympic ceremony since the 1996 olympics in atlanta. from the opening ceremony to the ralph lauren ensembles the american team wore during the ceremony i could feel the excitement and glory through my tv screen. however, i would be amiss to ignore the numerous situations happening in china and for the world for that matter (i.e. the killing of the american tourists during the games, tibet, and russia's invasion of georgia...it's praying time!)

fab #3: national elections are coming up and tons of celebs have been rocking voting related shirts. i'm really excited that a lot of younger folk are getting involved with the political scene. i'm even thinking about getting this cute vote shirt from junk food. at only $25 these shirts are cheap and cute!

i'm not going to announce my candidate of choice or even promote a specific candidate, but i'm loving lauren london in this obama tee ;)

fab #4: i love working out! really, i do! so when a co-worker mentioned a cycling class that was being offered i jumped all over it! not only did it provide a great workout but it breaks up the monotony of running/ walking on the treadmill and using the elliptical. be sure to listen to your instructors direction when she tells you how to properly sit on the bike or you'll be hurting the next day!

allure (allure.com); olympics (latimes.com)(news.xinhuanet.com); vote shirt and obama shirt (trendystars.com); spinning (bodytalk.de)

food. diet. fitness 101

2008-08-13T12:31:00.000-04:00

i have lost about 20 pounds since the beginning of the year. i am 20 pounds away from my goal, but as travel season begins i am concerned about how i will maintain my weight lose, eat healthy, and possibly lose some more weight will i am on the road.

it is so tempting to just drive through a fast food restaurant and order a chocolate shake (esp. since i am not paying for it)! but for this year, i have a plan of diet and fitness that will hopefully allow me to maintain everything that i have worked hard for.

diet

planning what you eat before you actually eat is what will always save your waistline. i go to every restaurant website to map out the calorie content of all my meals. call it crazy, but it works for me! i also bring along healthy snacks for long driving. blue diamond almonds are the best! so filling!

a co-worker turned me onto the daily plate. it's a website where you can log everything you eat. it gives you the nutrition information for just about any restaurant or meal you eat. an additional bonus is that it tells you how many calories you can eat in order to keep your goal. for example, i want to lose about 1 pound a week, so the daily plate calculator estimates that i can eat about 1900 calories in order to meet my goal!

fitness

i really rely on hotel gyms and fitness centers to workout before i begin my day. but a lot of the time the equipment is out dated and out of order, so i've started to bring my own equipment (i promise i'm not a dork). my two favorite fitness tools are the kettle bell and a resistance band.

the kettlebell is a strength training tool and a cardio workout in one. rather than lifting the kettlebell, you swing it in order to exhaust your muscles in a new and unique way. it develops more lean muscle, rather than bulk. also, kettlebells can be found at target where a dvd of a workout routine is included!

resistance bands are also a good choice for a concise workout. once again this tool creates lean muscle mass. with resistance bands you can do bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, donkey kickbacks, the list goes on!

stay fab

blue diamond almonds (bluediamons.com); the daily plate (thedailyplate.com); kettlebell (ironcorekettlebells.com); resistance band (simplefitnesssolutions.com)

another one bites the dust

2008-08-12T10:43:00.000-04:00

as you can tell by the title, it's that time of year; when disgruntled employees in admissions offices worldwide finally get the nerve and courage to pack up their travel packs for the last time and quit. i was desperately hoping that this would be my year to chuck the deuces at admissions life (or at least my current admissions office), but my time has not arrived. so far we've had three admissions counselors leave. two are going to grad school and one is simply moving to a different department.

all this turnover has got me to thinking about my own future....yeah, after two years, i'm finally taking serious thought to the future. and i'm thinking i should finally do what i've always wanted to do and write professionally. although writing is not something you necessarily need to go to school to do, i have decided to get a masters in creative writing. i honestly never thought of myself as ever going back to school to get my masters, but with some time and thought and my little pay, i figure i have nothing to lose and everything to gain. picture it, me as a grad student!

so, i've bought my kaplan GRE study guides and i've realized that i do not remember any math! it's funny....i've always been fairly decent at math, but now that i am reviewing basic arithmetic and algebra i am seeing that this GRE is going to be a loooong road!

kaplan book (amazon.com)

who's that girl

2008-08-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

does anyone remember robyn?

the blond swedish pop/ r&b singer who arrived in the 90s with the two singles "show me love" and "do you know (what it takes)" ? unfortunately, robyn is not widely known here in the states, but in her home of Sweden she is a sensation!during the height of her success robyn was forced into hiatus due to the exhaustion of promoting her album. well after several attempts to come back into the limelight, robyn is back with her self titled album.

well, i've always been a fan of robyn....i can still locate the cd singles of "show me love" and "do you know (what it takes)," so i'm hoping her next musical efforts will show some growth and maturity, but the same insightful lyrics! in fact, in 2005 robyn created her own label called konichiwa records in order to set herself free artisically.

when searching for pictures of robyn the only images i found of her showed her with that scarf wrapped around her neck. this scarf trend is really taking over....i mean it's cute....but it's summer....dunno. here's some cute scarf wearers!

jessica alba, lindsey lohan, and kanye west (love him) are just a few celebs making this trend hot (pun intended).

even rachael ray wore a scarf and caught some flack for it as many critics claimed her scarf represented terrorism

stay fab

wikipedia.com; celebrityfashion.contentquake.com

my green life

2008-08-08T20:24:00.006-04:00

my best color is green, so i am excited that being green is of the now! here are some ways that i am trying to be more green in my everyday life.

of course i use the reusable canvas bags when i shop. for example, my favorite reusable bag to use is the publix shopping bag for only 0.99!

here are the facts:
over 30 BILLION plastic bags are used in America each year!
it takes 15 to 1000 years for plastic bags to break down in the environment!
plastic bags kill many animals such as birds, turtles, whales, and seals; and what's worse, when the animal dies its body decomposes, leaving the plastic bags to be released back into the environment!

i have even gotten into the habit of using environmentally friendly products for cleaning around the house. seventh generation products include a complete line of products for the home. these include laundry detergent, dish washing soap, cleaning supplies, paper products, and even feminine hygienic products. these items are all non-toxic, 100% recycled, organic, chlorine and phosphate free! on a side note, this explains so much whenever i use tampons, i swear i feel sick...i think i will switch to the seventh generation chlorine-free organic cotton tampons (and no, it's not the menstrual side effects).

seventh generation products can be found at most grocery stores (publix included) and target. also, you can order products directly from their website.

here are some other ways to adopt a green lifestyle:

use fans to cool off in the summer

use the sun to dry your clothes (this isn't as bad as it seems. i spent many a summer in the caribbean and this is a method that i used)

rethink transportation (carpool, walk, public transportation)

don't print everything if it's not necessary. or print/ copy on both sides

unplug appliances when not in use (i do this, not to be green, but at night when i'm trying to sleep every single light bothers me)

rechargeable batteries

and because green is my signature color as well as lifestyle here's an extra! i found this green miu miu inspired handbag for only $18. not only is it green, but it's inexpensive!

stay fab

publix (publix.com); planet ark (planetark.com); seventhgeneration (seventhgenereation.com); bag (rollingstyle.com)

august already?

2008-08-02T21:51:00.006-04:00

after a looong week at the office it is so good to be able to rest. what makes the week so loooong is the fact that i have absoultely nothing to do. ideally, i need to be recruiting students and getting those last minute deposits in before the fall semester starts in two weeks. but i figure if it is taking this long for a student to get it together and apply then 1). they aren't too interested in attending our particular college 2). they aren't college material.

but anyway, the office is just buzzing with activity since we had a merger of the non-traditional admissions office and the traditional admissions office (my department). along with all this hoopla brings a new VP (our other VP was moved to student affairs and is now the VP of that department.....can you say demoted??). unfortunately, we are still stuck with Director, but here's the gotcha.....she has no more supervisory power (dissed!)!!! so, from here on out everyone basically reports to the new VP; director even has to travel now and has a territory like the rest of the admissions counselor....all this is because of her poor managerial skills and overall lack of professionalism. while this must be a major upset to her, it got me to thinking.....she's simply a glorified admission counselor, but i'm sure she is making the same pay, along with keeping her same title....hmmmmmmm!

ultimately, life is not fair, but alas this is the life of a 20 something entry-level underpaid and overworked employee.

but, eveything is not a total bust...i did get a little (little actually means little) raise, which was much deserved...it's funny how a 10% raise sounds like so much more money until you actually see it on your pay stub.

well, despite my net gain (ha) i am laying low from the shops and any online shopping, but i did have the opportunity to purchase a fabulous new laptop bag. i disdain the solid black laptop cases (just not my style)so i was delighted when i found this chic case at soleil bella. you like?

stay fab!

photo: soleil bella.com

i cheated

2008-07-27T22:13:00.002-04:00

i am a loyal person, a very loyal person. but this weekend i did the unthinkable and i have been living with guilt since....ok....here it goes....i cheated on my hair lady.....whew, that was difficult!

ok, all dramatics aside, i really do feel guilty. i have been faithfully going to ms. sherliene every two weeks for over a year. i trusted her to provide me with great hair and in return she trusted me to be a steadfast customer. despite all this trust and loyalty; however, i strayed.

her salon does not run on appointments, which is a fact i love. however, since the salon does not run on appointments, ms. sherliene frequently closes whenever she pleases. and that's what happened this weekend. i woke up early to get my touch up and she was closed. i was so upset and so desperate that i drove to the first salon i saw and got my hair done by a stylist named victor. and i loved it! i got a shea butter relaxer with accompanying treatments as well as a blowout for $50! you can't beat that. and on top of that it looked way better and youthful! victor found a way to effectively utilize both my new highlights and new bangs....i left the salon feeling like a star!

before entering the salon i had never heard of shea butter relaxers. since i have damaged hair with plenty of breakage victor explained to me that shea butter relaxers are milder and gentler than the regular lye relaxers. we all know the moisturizing benefits of shea butter so combining the gentle of shea butter with the harsh effects of a chemical relaxer definitely helps your hair out.

in two weeks when i get my wash and style i will let you know which stylist wins!

untitled

2008-07-13T15:29:00.003-04:00

it's summer at my job and you know what that means right? Staff is dropping like flies.....

so far, 2 of my co-workers have left, with another leaving in early september. this year i promised that this year it would be my year to leave, but honestly it's not looking like that. i have had some interviews that haven't turned into much...i actually have another one this wednesday so we'll see what will happen. but i'm kinda bummed....this is suppose to be my year to shine and the only shine going on around me is the shine from my oily skin....but i'm still truckin', hustlin,' and grindin.' i will keep you all posted on what happens!

but anyhoo, i just wanted to update on what was going on.....but something that is lifting my spirits is this cute and modern trench i found at bebe.com....i'm waiting to buy this (waiting on the price to go down just a little bit or payday...whatev comes first).

this trench is only $119 and i found it at bebe.com!

Cruise Wear II

2008-05-28T20:36:00.003-04:00

so i'm officially over cruise shopping. i've decided to just wear my swimsuit for all 3 days! :)

defintely, in the days to come there will be plenty of pix so stay tuned.

but until then, here are some pix from my last vacay to destin, fla.

enjoy!

Cruise Wear 2008

2008-05-26T15:49:00.003-04:00

So in my previous post I stated that I am going on my first cruise to the Bahamas this week. While I am uber excited, I am also confused as to what to wear! My everyday warbdrobe greatly lacks summer essentials such as halters, shorts skirts, and breezy dresses so I'm basically starting from scratch! And with the trip being on Friday can you believe that I have next to nothing purchased?! So I have been scouring the 'net to get ideas for what I want, here's what I've found thus far.

So, for dinners we need 2 casual outfits and 1 formal outfit:

I'm thinking of doing an all white outfit for the first casual night (yes, yes, reminiscent of the celebrity white parties); and these white trousers from Express (Editor pant)seem so appropriate. Also, this tank from Bebe makes this outfit simple but sexy....the perfect shoes would be some gold accented sandals like these from Old Navy!

For the second casual night I was thinking of this super sexy dress from New York and Company

For a formal outfit I thought of this Catherine Maladrino dress that I posted sometime last year

....yeah, I'm dreaming!

But as an alternative, I found this Floral One Shoulder Dress from Express

Or this other Dress from Express

Whew! Just writing about all the outfits I have to get for this trip is stressing me out; and I don't even have any casual/ downtime outfits or swimsuits.I'm gonna go shopping and I will conclude this post on tomorrow!

Happy Memorial Day!

Guess Who's Back (Part II)

2008-05-24T20:48:00.003-04:00

I have absoultely no excuse as to why I have been gone for almost 6 months...simply unacceptable! But obviously, so much has happened in my life, so let's get to it:

Work

Currently, I am seeking a new job. Well, even before I was MIA I wanted a new job, but now my search is active. Problem is: I don't know what the Hell I want to do. Lately, I have been looking into event planning/ public relations type gigs, but I'm not even sure if that's something I am interested in....it simply seems glamourous to me. Ironically, what pushed me into making my job search active was a conference I attended for my current job! Last month, I went to Little Rock for a conference for admissions counselors and everyone there seemed so passionate about their jobs and their calling...well, everyone except me! Coming back from that conference has made my job that more annoying and frustrating because I feel nothing for this line of work. Life should be lived passionately and I deserve that!

But anyway, I'm not here to cry a river about my lack of options, let me share with you all the things I have been interested in lately.

Rachel Bilson

I never watched the O.C. (ok, I've seen a few episodes, but only because my sister made me), so I've never known that Rachel Bilson is practically a style genius! Ummmmm, when did she become so fly?!

It's going to take me awhile to get to her style level, but I think I'm going to start with this chic cropped leather jacket.

Next up is hair! I have been trying to find a easy, breezy, colorful summer hair look and for some reason Rihanna's hair is on my mind (not the super cute pixie)!

Hmmmmmm, I think that would be super cute on me!

Another thing I am obsessing over is my weight!

I've been wanting to finally lose weight and get into a healthy weight range for awhile now; and as motivation I planned a cruise with a friend. So, I am so proud to say that I have lost 19 pounds! I fell short of my goal of being bikini fabulous (well, I could wear a bikini, but I don't want to scare any of the other beachgoers!), but I will be leaving on Thursday for my cruise feeling a little more fabulous! Now, my next task is finding great cruise-wear.....I guess I will save that for next time!

Guess Who's Back

2007-11-09T12:12:00.000-05:00

So, I've been gone for a while.....a long while!I have been sooooo incredible busy. Here's what I've been up to:

Emotional Breakdowns

Can you believe I was in my office on a Friday night (8pm to be exact)crying?

Crazy Travel Schedule

I have been on the road since the day after Labor Day :(

Planning a Program

I'm so glad that my event is over, but it took everything I had to not slap Director into a seizure.

So, I have missed so much in beauty and blogging that I don't even know where to start, so please excuse me if this is a crazy jumbled mess!

My travels recently took me to Portland and Seattle. Whenever I go to a new city I try to go to stores that I have back at home, but while I was in Portland the MAC counter at Nordstrom/ Lloyd Center just called my name, and of course I responded.....silly, with the smashing new holiday collection I would be a fool not to :)

So I picked up the lip palette in Tan lips; and, let me just say WOWZER. I love it! My lips look perfect and even toned yet hold a nude look!

I also picked up some Moisturecover concealer....you can never have too much. I know MAC has had this concealer since the conception of MAC, but this is my first time using it and I'm amazed. My eyes look so bright, my zits stay covered, and I even use it on my lips to get my tone even.

Now, while I was visiting my sister I hit up the Arbor Place Mall in Douglasville, GA. Once again, I hate going to stores that I have back at home, but I was looking for a much belated birthday gift for a friend and had to run into Belk. While I was there the Lancome counter was calling. I finally purchased the Baume Baiser Hydrating Lip Pillow

I love it! It's a joy to just pulled this odd looking lip balm out of my handbag and put it on my lips. It actually feels like a pillow caressing your lips!

While at Lancome I also purchased the Definicils Mascara and Cils Booster. I know each and every day I announce my love and profound loyalty to a new mascara, but seriously, this mascara is my new best friend! My lashes have never looked longer.

My birthday also occurred during this madness and a friend of mine bought me Gwen Stefani's new fragrance L

I hate celebrity fragrances, but I love Gwen Stefani!

Well, that is all for right now. I really need to get in the swing of this blogging thing again.

Stay Fab

Pictures: MAC (maccosmetics.com); Lancome (lancome-usa.com); L (sephora.com)

The Budget Fashionista

2007-09-23T01:50:00.000-04:00

You all already know that I am underpaid, overworked; so when Kathryn Finney at
thebudgetfashionista.com sent me her book of the same title I was all over it!

Let me just start out saying that Kathryn's website is filled with money saving options for the Fashionista on a budget....so imagine, her book!

So, I'm trying to find some common ground between being overly cheap and being frivolous with my shopping. The Budget Fashionista is teaching me how to do so! In the book, Katy gives plenty of awesome advice from budgeting (my weakness) to managing your closet (another weakness :))

Katy even lists websites that have great savings. I live for online shopping so getting to this chapter was a treat!

She also gives great beauty alternatives to help readers save (i.e. instead of the overpriced M.A.C makeup brushes, try the Sonia Kashuk brushes at Target).

Overall, Katy's book is AWESOME!!! With The Budget Fashionista I am learning how to balance my love of fashion and beauty with my underpaid and overworked status. Katy is definitely concerned with the plight of the fabulous chick who struggles between great fashion and paying the rent!

_______________________________________
Thank you so much to The Budget Fashionista ,Kathryn Finney, for allowing me to review her book. Hopefully, in the near future, I will also have a published book under my fashionable belt!

2007-09-23T01:10:00.000-04:00

Whenever I watch the Fashionista Diaries, I get this insane itch to shop!

I love how young and struggling 20 somethings (ahem), have such great style. I'm torn though, how can an entry-level PR assistant afford Catherine Malandrino? Well,
whatev!

I've been searching for new websites for inexpensive, jazzy pieces and here is what I've found.

MangoShop at mangoshop.com

I really wish I can work the leggings! This dress was found at Mango Shop for $69

I even found this classic trench for only $71

This trench is one of those classic items that need to be in your closet (have you been watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style on Bravo?)

Pictures: The Fashionista Diaries (soapnet.com); Catherine Malandrino top (net-a-porter.com); Green Patterened Dress (mangoshop.com); Trench (mangoshop.com);